


Twisted fairy tales: The Little Mermaid

by Miraculous_of_Salt



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-17
Updated: 2019-07-30
Packaged: 2020-05-13 13:19:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 16,675
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19252006
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Miraculous_of_Salt/pseuds/Miraculous_of_Salt
Summary: Marinette is a mermaid princess, a great predator of the sea. One day out of pity she recuse a human from drowning. That human was Prince Adrien who wants nothing more then to have the one that saved him by his side. Marinette full of hatred from being taken away from her life promises revenge.And then their Felix, Adrien's older brother. Will he help his brother win over the love of his life, or will he choose the mysterious blue hair girl who eyes hold their own story?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This will also be posted on my tumblr https://www.tumblr.com/blog/miraculous-of-salt  
> Big thanks to my beta reader for reading over it.  
> Hope you enjoy!!

Mermaids and sirens, throughout history they have describe as two completely different creatures. Sirens are described as man-eating demons of the sea, while mermaids are beauties that are hidden just beneath the surface. Oh, how wrong mankind was. They are mistaken in the notion that sirens and mermaids are two different beasts, when in fact they are one in the same. They are beautifully delicate when seen from above, but underneath the waves they are the most dangerous predators in the ocean. A creature so divine yet so savage it could kill a sharks with a single bite and do so with celestial grace. The siren versus mermaid part just depends on which individual you meet and what mood it happens to be in at the time. The so-called “sirens” are those who seem to enjoy the taste of human flesh while their “mermaid” counterparts keep to easier prey. Never underestimate a mermaid, however; they can be as dangerous as there are beautiful. After all, it’s only their intentions that make them safe – and intentions can change.

No mermaid represents this better than Marinette.

Marinette isn’t a regular mermaid per se; she’s the next in line to be Queen of the Ocean. Her scales are a deep and brilliant red, a color rare enough on its own but further distinguished by the little black spots that were speckled throughout. Most humans would see this as gorgeous and alluring, but under the water it’s a warning to keep away. It means she’s a killer. Those scales were made to be in bloody water, like crimson camouflage in all the carnage. The onyx patches serve to break her outline, hiding her figure in the ocean’s depths. Her beautiful blue hair signifies nobility, the royal status her line has only kept by being ruthless. She was a beauty to behold but nothing alive dared get close to her. Well, almost nothing. There was one particular creature in the ocean that didn’t fear her – a Giant Pacific Octopus she’d rescued when it was nothing more than a translucent, floating lump. The giant red beast was not to blame, though. Having been taken in when she was but the size of a bug, Tikki had never been taught to fear those gleaming scarlet scales. But excluding that one exception, no living being with any sense would knowingly allow her to get close. It’s why she was so fascinated with humans. Lacking the instincts that screamed danger at her presence, they didn’t run at the sight of her, which allowed her to swim close and observe their strange behavior.

She should have stayed away that night; she wouldn’t be suffering if she had. That night was the night of ships, so many of them right above her home. It was the perfect opportunity to watch the humans. She went to the biggest ship and pulled herself up to look through a little hole on the deck. They were mostly men; they were all drinking something and laughing. There was one that caught her eye, a golden-haired male, and the only blond on the ship. Blond hair in the sea was a lot like her red scales, a warning to keep away … and yet this man was around so many. They were all having carefree fun, completely unaware of the storm coming in behind them. As storm reeled into view and the humans panicked at the crash of lighting, Marinette took the opportunity to jump back into the water. The human’s vessel didn’t last long against Poseidon’s fury, soon broken and sinking. Marinette was about to turn around and let any sirens brave enough to get close to her have their meal, but she noticed the blond. The man was completely unconscious and slowly drifting down into the water. Mari’s heart was torn upon seeing the man she’d identified with in such a state. This wouldn’t be the first time a great predator was killed due to Poseidon and she knew humans couldn’t live long under water. So she went and saved the human, knowing she would probably end up regretting this.

After some hours of fast swimming she finally got him to shore. While the man lay unconscious, Mari sang out of habit as she studied him. She had never been this close to a human before and it was fascinating. As she studied, being mindful of her sharp nails, the human began to wake up, unknown to Marinette of course. As the man slowly opened his green eyes he was greeted with the face of a goddess and her mesmerizing song. If his mouth hadn’t been so dry from the saltwater, he would have asked for her name. There was just something about her that seemed enchanting.

“ADRIEN!!” a voice yelled out, breaking the flow of beautiful music. The woman’s face shifted to one of worry and fear before taking off. Adrien flew up, wanting more than anything in the world to call out the beautiful woman. However it wasn’t legs or even a dress he saw when the she retreated, but rather a magnificent red tail. A mermaid, he realized. A beautiful mermaid had saved him from drowning!

“Adrien!” the voice yelled again, as the source rounded the corner. It was Adrien’s older brother, Felix. Despite being older they looked to be about the same age. The other blond ran towards his little brother, wrapping his arms around him.

“I’m so glad you’re ok,” Felix cried in relief as he hugged the man tighter. Adrien would have tried to comfort his brother or tell him what he just saw but his throat was too dry to do either. All Adrian could do was sit there and try to process what he just saw. Eventually his brother forced him to stand up and they began to slowly walk towards their house, a castle sitting at the edge of the water, beautiful in its own right.

Adrien couldn’t get the mermaid out of his mind - she was just so beautiful. She was kind enough to save his life and stay with him until someone came. She must be in love with him, he decided. Just like how he was now in love with her and her ladybug-like scales. Hmmm Ladybug, that would be her name. As Adrien neared his home he began making plans. How was he going to get the one he loved to the surface with him? His mind raced through options but none seemed feasible. Well, none except one. But he couldn’t… No, he had to. It would bring trouble, though. It always did… But without it his angel from the sea would remain shackled to the water and they’d never be together. And despite the heartbreak he’d have to deal with, it would surely be nothing compared to hers. With an image of blue eyes like the light summer sky and blue hair like the dark ocean depths, he accepted what he must do. He had to use magic - that was the only solution. It was for her, he told to himself. To save her from the sea just as she’d done with him. He resolved to see Fu later that same day.

Felix didn’t know what had saved his brother, but he was glad to have him back safe. However, Felix recognized the look on Adrien’s face and he didn’t like it. His brother was a lot of things - good ones, mostly, but naïve and stubborn topped the list. He just hoped that whatever stupid scheme his brother had clearly set his heart on wouldn’t hurt anybody. 

But it did. And it wasn’t just anybody; he hurt the most dangerous thing in the ocean. 

When Adrien and Felix got home their mother immediately began hounding them for leaving the castle. Her reprimands focused mostly on Adrien, but to be fair he did almost drown. With her rushed scorn and concern, he wouldn’t have been able to get a word in even if his throat hadn’t just been ravaged by seawater. With an exaggerated wave of his arms and an impromptu game of charades, he was finally able to get a servant to bring him water. After a long drink to bring his voice back he reassured his mom and brother that he was just fine, nothing more than a little parched. Gabriel, the king, didn’t bother to check on him, but Adrien couldn’t bring himself to care. He had work to do.

After a couple of hours of rest, Adrien slipped out of the palace once again. He hurried through the town, knowing exactly what he was look for. It didn’t take long for him to react the Chinese Tea Shop, where he was greeted by the shop owner, Fu.

“Ah, hello, Prince Adrien. Always a pleasure to be graced with your presence. What brings you to my humble little shop today?” the old man asked with a smile. Old indeed, reflected Adrien after glancing him over. But still going strong. He was said to be over a hundred years old but showed no signs of deterioration. This longevity had earned Fu his nickname around town - The Turtle. Though his age was displayed clearly on his features, there was a spark of life in him that made Adrien think the man had at least another fifty years on his clock. He suspected the bone talisman the old man kept around his wrist had something to do with it, but it was all speculation.

“I need your help… it’s magic related,” Adrien said in a quiet voice. Fu just nodded and walked over to some chairs, inviting the young prince to sit.

“And how can I help?” the Master asked. To most people, the title was empty, knowing not of his skills. But anyone who’d sought out the supernatural was all too aware of the power the man had and how it had earned him his status of Master. Adrien soon began explaining all about the mermaid that saved his life and how now he must save hers. How Adrian had fallen in love with the mermaid and she had done the same but was imprisoned by the sea. He needed a way to free her - free her of her tail and the watery solitude it meant for her. He needed to find a way to bring them together. He owed it to her. Fu was quiet, listening very carefully to Adrien’s words.

“Are you sure she’s in love? If she isn’t-“ Fu started but was abruptly cut off by the impatient prince.

“She is, she is. I’m certain. We’re just separated that’s all,” Adrien said. He was so caught up in his own fantasy he didn’t even register that he’d lied to the Master. Then again, did it count as a lie if he truly believed it to be so?

Fu considered the man – no, the boy in front of him. He deliberated on Adrien’s plight for what seemed like an eternity before, at last, giving a single solemn nod. “Alright, I will bring your mermaid to you. I can make you a potion that will grant your wish,” the Master chose his words carefully, “allowing the one you love to come ashore. The spell will be fueled by love for you, drawing in the energy to transform the girl as you requested.” Adrien’s eyes lit up with joy, his deaf to the one-sidedness of affection implied by Fu’s phrasing. “If the spell can use the love of the one being transformed, its magic will be much less draining. If it is all as you have described, then by sunrise the maiden should be on the same spot she left you this morning, with no cosmic penalties save for a bit of fatigue. But remember, all magic has a cost,” Fu warned. Adrien was confused by whatever Fu seemed to be trying to get across to him but he nodded sagely nonetheless. After a moment of staring in uncomfortable silence, the Master coughed awkwardly and said, “in this case the cost will be a maiden’s love… and 12 gold tokens.” Comprehension dawned and Adrien quickly gave the man the gold coins as payment. The Master took them with a sheepish grin before walking back to draw out his Miracle Box. The large contraption seemed to have more drawers than it had any right to, having at least twelve compartments on its sides alone. Fu pulled some, uh, some sort of something out of the box and mixed it into a vial along with a few other ingredients. He returned with the potion in hand and gave it to Adrien, though he seemed a bit hesitant to do so.

Filled with excitement, Adrien hurried back home. That night right before bed, he drank the potion and wished to find his love in the morning, wished for her to be human like him so they could have a life together. That night Adrien fell to a peaceful sleep filled with sweet dreams of a blue haired beauty cradling a sweet blond babe swaddled in the silks embroidered with the royal crest. That night he lay there thinking of his future family, his fated wife and kids, and how much he would love them. That night he slept in blissful ignorance, completely unaware that his mother took her final breath while thinking of how much she loved him.


	2. chapter 2

Mermaids and sirens, throughout history they have been attributed two completely different types of magic. When their skills result in harm befalling humans, the sirens were blamed. On the other hand, when humans could exploit the Mer’s magic for their own benefit it was associated only with mermaids. Save for the initial link between the Mer and magic, however, the humans had it all wrong. It was true that not all Mer could perform all types of magic, but this was due to the individual’s lineage and not their nature as either siren or mermaid – a binary which, if recalled, was based only on whether the individual Mer had attacked a human at the time of classification. Sirens and mermaids born of the same lineage would have an equal likelihood of successfully performing the enchantments preserved in their family. The a line’s predisposition for such supernatural doings could be expanded when joined in marriage to other Mer with distinct powers. It was genetics that influenced their potential; predation on humans, and thus siren versus mermaid status, had absolutely no effect on a Mer’s abilities. Still, the humans continued with their arbitrary designations. The most prominent abilities associated with sirens and mermaids each were the ever-infamous Siren Song and the ever-coveted Mermaid Tear. Also notable was the segregation of the Mer’s weather-wielding ability into two separate classes of magic depending on how these powers were used; the great storms with violent waves were said to be conjured by sirens, and the calm seas with fair winds that were heralded by mermaids.  
Though she was gifted with a handful of magical traits that could be used to both help and hurt others, Marinette had only ever used her powers to benefit the intended target.  
Marinette didn’t use magic often and was by no means an expert in the practice. She had, however, managed a few impressive feats. The one she was most proud of was Tikki, whom she had bonded with after rescuing as a mere hatchling. Tikki was a familiar of sorts, if such concepts could be used for the Mer. She’d rescued Tikki when she was only a child and cured the little beast of all injuries. As the young Mer had infused the hatchling with her magic, the two Bonded. It was a near telepathic connection when they were near each other, perfect understanding without the need for words. It also protected Tikki - Mari’s healing powers extended the creature’s lifespan and their connection kept Tikki’s mind safe from other Mer. Only others with language based abilities could make some sense of Tikki’s thoughts, though even that was limited. All Mer had a natural affinity for comprehension and possessed voices that could carry forcefully through the water or melodically through the air. For some Mer, however, it went beyond that. Marinette was gifted with the communication-based magic that allowed her to understand both beast and man with greater clarity, communicate in turn, and enchant them with songs. The first of these was the simplest as it was a passive type of magic that kicked in instinctively. The second took some effort but could still be accomplished with relative ease, though it often resulted with her weaving the meaning into various melodies until she could master the language in full. The last was the most difficult by far. It was the Siren Song.  
Using a Siren Song took the connection that allowed her to understand the meaning behind unknown words and twisted it back, forcing her thoughts into the target’s mind; her song would go from expressing simple ideas to replacing the target’s thoughts with her own and bending them to her will. She’d only used it once to get a captain to change the ship’s course from the one that would crash them into the hidden reefs. It had taken all her might to concentrate the effects on the captain so the magic wouldn’t be diffused amongst the crew and had only managed to coerce him into unease regarding their current trajectory, not putting him fully under her control. It left her drained; a Siren Song could only be successful through the deliberate and unyielding efforts of the singer. She had done it more out of consideration for the coral than the humans as that was one of Tikki’s favorite places to play.  
It was to those reefs that Mari sped off to after rescuing the golden-haired man. While the hollow caves below the coral’s rocky base weren’t her real home per se, they still felt like it. It’s where Tikki stayed now that she was too large to constantly carry around - the Great Pacific Octopus grows continuously through its lifespan and Tikki was well over her naturally assigned expiration date. Though the Mer respected Mari and didn’t actively attempt to attack her familiar, a giant octopus too innocent to keep away from hunting pods would have made too tempting a kill to safely keep around anyways. Her official home, the underwater palace where the King and Queen took residence, was deep in the nearby trenches whose uneven ridges with jutting spires would house colonies of other Mer.  
Upon reaching Tikki’s den she immediately found herself captured in a tangle of tentacles. Her little water bug, who how now outgrown the epithet by several yards, was always eager to show the princess her affections in a modified… umm… hug. The silly imitation of the fond embraces between the Mer Tikki observed when she was small never failed to make Marinette smile. Freeing herself, she gave the octopus a loving pet and made her way to a hoard of stolen human crafts. She’d taken a shining ring of pale silver off of the man she rescued; she had plenty of jewelry but the ring was beautiful in its own right and something about the means of acquisition had filled her with mischievous glee. Despite the metal hoop’s unusual splendor, it was nothing compared to her red coral crown. The crown was forged magically and adorned with fine black pearls and subtle glimmering accents. She kept it safely locked away, lest it be stolen during one of her outings. Its enchantments kept the circlet from falling away during her excursions and the protruding branches served as an antlered helm of sorts. But she liked the feeling of the current tousling her hair too much, and thus avoided wearing the crown on a daily basis. She would notice any beasts long before they’d gotten to her and no Mer would have attacked her anyways.  
Although the arrangement was a bit difficult for humans to understand, as their honor was as sparse as their sense, there was a well-established agreement amongst the Mer’s various clans. The clans, extended family groups of a given lineage, were many and differed greatly from one another. Some would assemble themselves into colonies with allied groups such that roles in the community could be more efficiently filled. Others would keep to themselves, going so far as dispersing their clan into smaller family groups of only a handful of Mer each. Some were governed under a self-imposed matriarchy in which the females had the ultimate authority. Others deferred to the strongest males in a patriarchal structure. Some would use tools to kickoff their assaults before tearing into their victims’ flesh with eager claws and pointed teeth. Others would start their attacks with magical manipulations that drained their powers but reduced the need for physical exertion in their kills. In spite of the differences that permeated the Mer clans, they had one rule that applied to all: you kill for power. This system led to only the strongest ruling over other Mer as monarchs. This wasn’t the arrangement though, it was just the nature of life at sea. The arrangement was an unspoken agreement to spare the children of rival clans when the battles were over. The victors would, at times, imprison more rebellious young Mer for execution when they came of age, but more often any orphaned youths were simply sent to the victor’s colony to be cared for and assimilated. This agreement could be breached if a given clan went too far in their misdeeds but such cases were rare and far between.  
Marinette’s mother and father had dealt with many assassination attempts by rival clans during their regency. Among the limited healing abilities that protected him when he ventured near volcanic waters and the metallic transmutations that allowed him to forge both weapons and cooking-ware, the king was gifted with prophecy. Though the exact future was blurred through the imprecise essence of life’s many possibilities, it did give him a predisposition to sensing when a clan’s unrest evolved into something more dangerous. It allowed him to preemptively take out most opposition before they had even acted on their ill intentions, containing such insurrections before support spread through the entire clan. On the rare occasion he failed to detect such notions prior to the threat manifesting in full, the queen would take over and deal with the agitators as a whole; the mercy she showed go the more innocent members of a clan was directly influenced by the offenses committed by the guilty individuals. She was often lenient in her punishment and restricted her executions to the active troublemakers - she was proud to say she had only wiped out one full lineage, with youths and elders exterminated along with the warriors and leaders. Their efficiency resulted in many clans pledging allegiance to the monarchs, preferring their protection to their wrath. It made Marinette even less likely to be the target of any slaughters from other Mer, which was already unlikely given her young age and coveted attributes. As such, she curled around Tikki in a bed of sea grass and drifted into a light, carefree sleep without a worry in the world.  
-  
Felix lay in bed, unable to get any sleep. Despite how tired he was and how comfortable his bed, his mind refused to succumb to the exhaustion. A hundred questions bubbled to the surface of his thoughts all at once and demanded he give them his full attention. He was grateful his brother was okay, but the whole situation had left him with an unsettling sense of doom. A dramatic notion not appropriate for a prince. Still… Adrien’s ship had been miles off the coast when the storm hit, caught in the worst of it. Not a single soul save for his brother had made it out of that. The ship was dismantled by the unrestrained tempest, leaving only the hull’s wooden fragments and half-eaten corpses in its wake. They must have been at the heart of shark-infested waters judging by the bodies – at least, the few recovered that were still intact enough to be called waters. The slaughtered crew bore marks Felix couldn’t believe came from sharks. But what was the alternative? Despite it all, his brother had been waiting at the shore the morning after the storm, completely fine. Well, mostly fine. Adrien’s attention had been off at sea and he had remained in a spaced-out trance during the entire trek back to the castle. Which is an understandable reaction for someone who almost died, Felix repeated to himself for the twentieth time that night. He might have even believed it had it not been for the grin that settled Adrien’s face after a period of troubled silence. Together the expressions didn’t sit well with Felix, something unnatural about that sequence of emotion. The elder prince was certain he’d missed something in his brother, some middle step that joined the somber inattention and joyful anticipation he’d expressed. But what? Felix didn’t voice his feelings to anyone though. His mother had always favored Adrien and his father had always favored her, leaving Felix cast out through either apathy or explicit enmity.  
His musings were interrupted by an irritated cry from his balcony; he could make the noise out to be an impatient and scornful Meow.  
Turning towards the source, the prince saw a scrawny black cat staring at him with piercing green eyes. Plagg. The little demon had been a gift from the local tea shop’s owner. Though his brother had found the man charming and visited him often, Fu had given the cat to Felix instead. It reinforced his belief that the shop owner gave the cat away for secretly malicious reasons - if it had been a true gift of kindness, surely Fu would have given the cat to his more sociable and better-liked little brother. Felix could swear the cat was cursed, bringing bad luck and wreaking havoc everywhere he went. He was so named because Adrien had tried to take ownership of the cat when they were younger, saying he’d be better fit as its master because the cat could catch rats in the docks and ships when Adrien went on his adventures and thus stop any plagues from reaching their coasts.   
“He is a plague, just look at all the destruction that follows him,” Felix had scoffed at the time. He would have happily given the black cat away if only to get rid of the smell of stinky cheese that seemed to cling to his fur. However, the cat would not have it. It was clear Felix and Plagg had a mutual dislike of the other but the green-eyed beast would still keep to Felix and attack anyone else. They had a system, he and the cat. Felix would leave food and water out in the balcony for Plagg, and in turn Plagg would leave him alone. So why was the blasted thing yowling here now? Felix stepped out onto the balcony and checked the bowls, finding them full of food and water respectively.  
Plagg immediately seized the opportunity, wasting no time slipping into Felix’s room. The prince muttered a few curses at the omen of ill fortunes and spitefully commanded the cat to get out. Plagg’s green eyes shone back in defiance from a drawer he’d started rummaging through and Felix gave up, too tired to put any real effort into kicking the cat out. He was willing to ignore Plagg and his misdeeds for the night. At least until heavy pressure and sharp pricking landed on his chest.  
“Get off me, you stupid cat,” Felix hissed as he swatted at the black beast to get it away. Plagg responded by sinking his claws deeper into the boy’s chest and letting out a sinister growl. Felix entered a petty sort of staring contest with Plag, both equally stubborn and spiteful. Green eyes glared at steely blue; ‘try me’ Plagg dared, a threat resting on his claws. Felix broke first this time, rolling his eyes at the silent threat and letting Plagg have his way. The smug feline preened in victory before curling up on Felix’s chest.  
“Fine, whatever. You can stay,” he grumbled. With a sigh, the prince laid back his head and prayed that he would get some form of rest. Seemingly content with this truce, Plagg let out a deep and steady purr. It stunned Felix as the musty little thing had never purred near him before. In fact, Felix had secretly suspected it was incapable of doing so or anything else that would signal any kind of affection. It was… weird. On that note his thoughts drifted back to his little brother and Adrien’s odd behavior earlier on. He loved Adrien, but something felt wrong about everything that happened with him. Felix was prepared to lose himself to racing thoughts once again, but the purrs that reverberated through his chest seemed to chase them off like a cat chasing off mice. He let the vibrating hums coming from Plagg comfort him and suddenly felt a calm release, as if something that had been trying to grip at his heart finally slipped off for good. Felix began to relax, his eyes getting heavy and his thoughts blurred.   
“Stupid cat,” he said after a moment, although more softly and with less bitterness this time. And then at last, the blond prince drifted into sleep as deep as the oceans he dreamt of. Oceans filled with comforting chaos and black scales that glimmered with green in the light.  
That night magic swept through the palace, in search for love to fuel an ill-begotten spell. It found two candidates and let its tendrils probe at each. However, it managed to reap from only one source that night, having been warded off from the other. The magic stole only the queen’s life, which was used to force an unwanted transformation but ran out before the spell could transport its prize. Had it killed the two, the magic would’ve been able to carry out the task in full but the girl’s own magic fought back at every step and the spell could not carry her through the sea with the power from only one life.  
Felix’s sleep had been meant to be much more permanent that night. If Felix had realized the danger he’d been under he may have been distraught. If Felix had realized what Plagg truly was or what he’d done for him, he may have just started to like the black beast. But to the prince it just another night with some worries that were eventually overcome by fatigue.  
-  
Agony. Pure excruciating agony.  
Her sleep was disturbed by sharp prickling throughout the night, as if invisible needles were trying to pierce their way through her skin. It was annoying but not particularly painful aside from the occasional forceful prick, so she tried to just ignore it. The sensation had come and gone until a few hours before sunrise when it had intensified everywhere at once. She wasn’t an expert with magic, but she could feel its familiar warmth flowing through her into her. Only this time, it wasn’t her magic. It was foreign and it was forcing its way in. She couldn’t tell its purpose but she knew it wasn’t good.  
There was a horrible crack that resonated through the cave before drowning her in pain. She let out a scream as she felt the intruding powers coil around her heart. They wrapped around her very being like the tentacles of some vicious beast. She could feel Tikki’s distress at seeing the princess writhing in pain, but she could not clearly discern any words or images as was typical with their connection. Unlike Tikki’s unintentionally crushing hugs, the tightening of these tendrils was deliberate. More pained yells escaped her throat as she was overcome by the sheer agony of what was happening to her. She cursed herself for showing such weakness and then again for not taking better care to cultivate her gifts. Her magic was too weak to fight this off, try as she did - or at the very least it was too neglected. Perhaps if she’d practiced more diligently she would’ve been able to push the curse out. As it was, she could only delay its progress. Her healing abilities were aggressively engaged despite almost having been used on others and not herself; her magic was attempting to undo whatever damage the curse had already caused within her, protect her from further damage, and kick out the malicious energy that was ripping her apart. Attempting being the key word.  
Marinette felt more painful cracks drilling into her bones mercilessly. In some instinctual frenzy, she began to attack as if to fight off the mystic assailant with physical blows. She bared her teeth at the empty water and struck the sea forcefully with her tail. Her claws were slashing blindly and she slammed into the rock walls in her clumsy fervor. Tikki stayed back and watched from a safe distance. The black spots that speckled Mari’s scales expanded in a warning display, with faint blue iridescence outlines on each patch announcing to her opponent she planned to make them suffer her venomous wrath. The curse, however, seemed to care not for her aggressions. Marinette dealt all the blows but she was still losing this fight. In some cruel twist of irony, the foreign magic made it so her venom began to leak into her blood. It boiled in her veins and she screamed for it to stop, until at last it did. She was weak. She was unsure if it had been her healing or the curse that neutralized the venom’s effects, but she was inclined to believe it was the latter as she could no longer sense her ability to produce it. Then again, her muscles had been numbed by the neurotoxin that had been burning within her so it have just been dulled for a moment. She doubted it though. She was vaguely aware that her neurotoxin was analgesic and the paralysis shouldn’t have been felt at all, but another blast of pain distracted her from the thought.  
This time it cut through her. Her tail felt like it was being ripped in half from the inside. She slashed her claws once more, this time at herself. A single scale was scraped away as skin began to take over for the rest of the crimson flakes. She was out of the cave now, swimming to flee that which she could not outrun. The propulsion from her tail lessened with each stroke though, and she wondered if the red tint that clung to the water around her was what remained of her beautiful scales or if it was the blood that now leaked from where her fins’ spines had been. Her now barren flukes seemed to melt before her and more burning filled her senses as all the bones and flesh contorted into something new and more compact. Her skin had lost its transitional scales entirely and the webbing of her hands was gone. Only raw digits remained at the end of her palms. She screamed again, loud enough for it to echo through the sea. She screamed in pain from the agony of this transformation. She screamed in despair from the loss of her beautiful scales. She screamed in fear from the uncertainty of what would follow. She screamed and screamed until she could scream no more, a new fire burning through her lungs. It was spreading, hungry and greedy. Like real fires it seemed to be consuming all the oxygen she had in order to burn. She looked down to her chest and saw faint scarring beginning to cover the gill slits that kept her alive when she was under the waves. It was slow and painful. Marinette realized she would drown if she stayed here but she was having a hard time getting to the surface. She couldn’t breathe. Something was happening to her and she couldn’t breathe. Instead of a tail she now had legs, though the bones were still shifting to fit new proportions and form her feet. She kept moving past the pain, determined to reach the top. As her gills closed and her transformation finished molding her, she knew she was still too far from the surface. She was afraid she wouldn’t make it.  
She wanted to let out a sob but had no more oxygen to do so. She wanted to flood the ocean with her weeping. But she didn’t cry. She couldn’t. Saturated with the salty water of the seas, no tears could be shed in the ocean. So instead she tried to keep moving up despite the agony that consumed her as her lungs spasmed painfully and her muscles locked against her commands. She was still about the feet from the surface when her body ignored her wishes in full. Was this what the shifters felt when they transformed? She knew of the selkies that lived in the north and took with them the silken skins of their tails as they wandered the surface. It couldn’t be, though. Their transformations were deliberate and would be carried out on rocky shores where the air was there to get them through the change. She was seeing stars now, her vision blurring black with bright speckled throughout. No one would willingly transform if they suffered this greatly, even without the hypoxia. Magic was always more difficult when the recipient didn’t want it though, causing greater pain with its effects and using up a greater amount of energy when doing so. She was seeing just the darkness now, as her world flashed in and out of view. The selkies and other shifters would have had a completely different experience. And the price of their transformations would be much lower. Spitefully, she grinned at the thought. I hope the toll is great. She was fading. I hope it kills them. Her vision had given up along with every other part of her. I hope they suffer as I have. She felt something grip and pull at her through her numbed senses but was only vaguely aware of what was happening. I hope they regret it. Through her last lingering strand of consciousness a single thought pushed past her contempt and took over.  
I’m going to die.  
-  
Felix was woken by one of his maids; the poor crying girl shook him out of his slumber. It seemed Plagg‘s affections had run out and the cat’s usual contempt returned to him during the night because Felix felt new scratches on his chest. One thing at a time, he decided. He turned his attention back to the weeping maid, who held an expression somewhere between sadness and fear.  
“What’s wrong? What happened?” Felix asked as the unease from the day before replaced his grogginess.  
“Prince Felix, it’s your mother, she’s…she’s…” The maid began but her words were choked by sobs. Felix’s eyes went wide and a jolt of adrenaline spurred him to action. He threw off the covers and jumped out of bed. Ignoring the trembling maid, he ran down the hall to his parents’ room as fast as he could. What the maid said, or rather what he feared she was trying to say, couldn’t be true. His mother was still young and the healthiest out of all of them. As he entered the room, though, his worst fears were confirmed.  
His father was sitting close by the bed with tears in his eyes. Felix would have believed King Gabriel was incapable of love if it hadn’t been for his mom. Aside from Queen Emilie, the king had never directed his affection to anyone. Even Adrien, the golden child, was only really liked as a trophy of sorts. Felix liked the idea Gabriel couldn’t love. It eased any unpleasant emotions from the disdain he received from him. It let Felix hate him with no shame. Looking at him now though, Felix could see the old bastard truly had loved his wife. And Emilie, his sweet mother, lay pale on the bed sheets like some ivory statue. He could almost pretend she was just sleeping; her face seemed to have a smile on it. His once bright and cheerful mother was dead though and the cold body on that bed was a sad imitation of who she once was.  
Gabriel held her hand, like he would give anything in the world for her to wake up. He probably would have, too.  
“Do they know what happened?” Felix asked quietly, tears streaming readily down his face.  
“They say it was from a heart attack,” Gabriel whispered in answer. He sat in a daze and brought Emilie’s hand up to his lips. The icy king closed his eyes and kissed the back of his mother’s icy hand.  
Suddenly, Felix’s sadness was replaced with anger.  
“A heart attack? Impossible! She was the healthiest out of all of us!” He shouted, voicing the same reassurances he’d been telling himself before. “She couldn’t have just died like that!” She wasn’t supposed to be dead, she was the only thing that kept their family together.  
“Well she did!” Gabriel snapped back at his son, a chilling fury glowing from his steel blue eyes. They were the same eyes Felix had. The prince felt his own anger fade away. He could blame the universe but taking it out on his father would accomplish nothing. With slight pity he decided he shouldn’t be yelling at his father, not after he lost the love of his life  
-  
Through the pain that had consumed her, Marinette hadn’t noticed Tikki following her. Despite this curse transforming her and stripping away her magic, Tikki would never abandon her master. Having sensed the girl’s fear and desperation, Tikki wrapped one of her tentacles around the girl’s waist and pulled her to the surface. Slowly dragging the girl through the shallows, Tikki left her master lying near the shore. The massive beast returned quickly to the ocean, dashing away from the girl who was taking deep, ragged breaths of air. The giant sadly couldn’t stay any closer to her, for fear of not getting back into the water.  
Marinette began to regain her functions as she took in the air. With each breath her throat burned like she had swallowed lava. She’d felt Tikki set her down on some rocks in the shallow water, though she’d been too out of it to really process what was happening.  
When Marinette looked back at her faithful friend, so far away from her, the familiar sensation of warmth that always flooded her was gone. The connection had been broken. She reached out to call to Tikki but noticed her hand. Her beautiful fins and scales had been taken from her body, along with her long sharpened claws and finger webbing. Glancing down at herself she took it all in. She’d known what to expect but actually seeing her tail gone… She let out a horrible, choking sob. For the first time in her life, Marinette felt tears on drop onto her cheeks. In place of her tail were those ugly somethings - the bottom half of those humans she’d liked to study. She refused to say the names of the limbs that were now attached to her. The words would make it all too real. Any traces of her crimson and onyx scales were gone. It seemed the only thing she kept was her deep dark blue hair and maybe her eyes, but she didn’t dare try to see her reflection. She felt even her hair was duller, but that may have been due to her current bleak outlook on life.  
What had happened to her? What would happen to her?  
Her life was now gone, even if she was still breathing.  
Could she even go back home?  
What would she do?  
-  
There were just a few minutes of strained silence between the two, but it had felt like an eternity. Through his tears, Felix let his mind wander.  
“Where is Adrien?” he wondered aloud.  
“I don’t know and I don’t care,” Gabriel hissed, squeezing his wife’s hand. With a sigh, Felix turned and left his father to his grieving. Felix knew that if he stayed they would start fighting again just to have someone to blame. His own grief got shoved down and locked away. An emotion to deal with later. He walked outside of the room and looked around. Upon seeing the maid that woke him earlier he walked up to get things sorted.  
“Have you informed Adrien?” Felix asked. He knew his little brother would be devastated. Adrien was always a mama’s boy, even if he pretended otherwise.  
“Prince Adrien wasn’t in his room this morning,” the maid informed with a glint of that same fear he’d thought he’d seen earlier. He wondered if his father had taken some of his frustrations out on her when the news first broke.  
“What? Does that mean he disappeared?” Felix asked and worry took hold. He didn’t think he could live with losing two family members in a single day.  
“N-no,” she sputtered out.   
“Another maid went to lay out his clothes at daybreak and the chief guard saw him run out about an hour ago.” The girl trembled slightly before her and Felix suspected it had been her that had let her brother run out in secret. He was always such a charmer, the girls all loved him. If it had been her it would explain some of his father’s fury - Adrien was supposed to be kept within the palace at the queen’s behest. The maid curtsied nervously before walking away to preform her duties. Felix just stood there, disconnected. His brother left. Their mother had died and Adrien had decided there was something more important to run off to despite her express wishes. Felix swallowed down a bitter rage and walked back to his room. Just another emotion to deal with later, along with all the others… He paused at the thought but shook his head. To deal with much later. He quickly got dressed before grabbing Adrien’s bag and gripping it tightly. Not because he was angry, just so it wouldn’t slip. Because he definitely wasn’t angry. It’s not like his little brother had left his family for something deemed more important than mourning the loss of their mother. Even if it had been, Felix didn’t care. Felix’s grip tightened as he allowed his not-anger to fill his thoughts. Because he wasn’t angry. The bag crumpled between his fingers disagreed, but its dissent went unnoticed. In truth, Adrien hadn’t purposefully left with any malice - he didn’t even know what had happened. Felix had no real reason to be angry. Which is why he definitely wasn’t. Even though yesterday’s doubts about his brother’s silent schemes were already casting blame. Felix shook his head again, as if to shake the thoughts away. They were making his not-anger difficult to keep at bay. So he shook them away until only one remained in his mind.  
Find Adrien.  
-  
Marinette sat there to wallow long after her sobs had died out. It was a silent sort of suffering she allowed herself to feel now. Her pale skin no longer held that soft glow that made her look like moonlight. It held nothing that could tie her back to her true self. Even the cuts and bruises, the raw flesh and binding scars, the bloody, broken mess the transformation had left her - all were gone. Oh, the pain remained. Echoes of her flesh ripping apart pulsed through her from the slightest movement. But all the physical evidence had vanished along with her identity. So she sat there, exposed to the world in this feeble body, and cursed her now-smooth skin.  
Though she’d lost access to her magic, she knew it was still there. Deep, deep within her. She might not be able to call to Tikki but she could sense her distantly when she reached out. The feeling was muffled; it didn’t bring with it a rush of Tikki’s thoughts and emotions, but it did let her know Tikki was out there. For now, that was enough. It grounded her enough to let her keep her sanity for a moment longer. The irony of needing to be grounded did not escape Marinette. Her magic leaked out passively, protecting her from the sunbeams that seemed to want to punish her for disobeying nature. It’s not my fault! She wanted to scream back. She agreed with the sun, wanting nothing more than to go back into the ocean. She felt knives when she tried to move her lower body and her throat still burned with each breath of salty sea air, the universe punishing her for existing in this form as if it weren’t punishment enough. She was not a shifter of any kind. None in her family were. She was not supposed to be here and her fair skin was supposed to be screened by thick rolling waves.  
“You’re here!” a male voice rang out, snapping her out of her self pity. She whipped around with an attempted hiss that died as her throat was once more filled with burning pain. She grimaced at the sensation as distant babbling filling the air. The words were wind to her, her magic still struggling to find its way back to her. Vague understanding began to kick in, getting the meaning of a few sporadic words here and there. Hoped… Again… Turtle… Free… Name… Ladybug… wait, ladybug? Maybe her magic still needed a bit more time to buffer before she pushed herself to try to comprehend the human’s nonsense.  
Squinting through the brightness she’d still not grown used to, Marinette made out the figure that had found her in the shore. The male had golden hair, bright green eyes, and a familiar smile. The corners of her lips twitched up in recognition. It was the human she’d saved from drowning! The other predator had found her and had surely come to repay his debt. With a bit of rest for her magic to help her past this language barrier and the golden boy’s help, she may just find a way out of this mess. Newfound hope sparkled in her eyes and her features were no longer arranged in despair.  
The man must have taken her slight shift in mood as an invitation because moments later Marinette found herself lifted up in his embrace. She stiffened. Hugs were not exchanged lightly by the Mer. They were reserved for family or very close friends. Tikki counted as both to her. It was a huge display of trust, allowing some so close, so able to tear you apart with the claws gripping at your back. To touch a Mer without their express permission was a dangerous endeavor that would often result in a bloody fight. But Marinette did not have the strength for such a fight and she feared this downgraded body wouldn’t have faired well in one either. So she tempered her rage and allowed the man to hold her despite her displeasure. It would be worth it if she could use him to find a way home, she told herself.  
Suddenly, the blond’s cheeks turned a bright pink and he dropped her. He looked away immediately, turning a deeper shade of red that now went up to his ears, and then hurried after a clump of cloth back on the sand. Maybe he’d realized his foolish disrespect. Pain shot up through her as she landed on her… as she was left to stand on her own, she mentally amended to avoid those words. After a moment of unsteady swaying, the graceful princess fell clumsily back down. On impact, all the pain she’d felt before seared her body once again. She heard a chuckle and looked up to find the boy returning to her with the cloth in hand. He gently extended the fabric over her form and lifted her once more, though this time the wool barrier kept her from his touch.  
“I’m so glad you’re here,” he whispered with adoration. At least, she thought he did. She didn’t voice her confusion at the blond’s loving gaze, shrugging it off as misread gratitude for how she’d saved his life. She was getting better at finding meaning from his noises but it would be a while until she could recreate the language on her own.  
The two waded through the water and, though she tried not to show such weakness, Mari’s slight flinching with each step had the boy holding her up more and more. By the time they reached the dry sand, she was almost leaning on him entirely. The sand rubbing at her from the blanket draped over her shoulders was bad enough, but the added pain of more hot grains pushing back at her with each step was too much. She felt herself crumple, only to be caught by the golden-haired boy. He put an arm under her knees and the other at her back, cradling her to his chest.  
“There, there, Ladybug. You’ll be okay. I’ve got you now.” His voice was tender, even if it lacked the melodic echo she was accustomed to. Accepting her failure with shame, she cast away the remnants of her pride and laid her head on the boy’s shoulder. Tomorrow she’d be strong. She’d find whomever was responsible for the curse that took everything from her and, weakened form or not, she’d make them pay. But today, after everything she’d been through, she’d allow herself to be weak. So she took comfort in the help and safety offered by the predator of the land. She closed her eyes and placed her trust in him as he carried her off. Sleep beckoned her and she gladly followed, drifting off with the boy’s scent replacing that of the sea and a faint “My lady…” replacing the sound of the waves.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marinette meets the other predator of the family

Mermaids and sirens, throughout history they have been depicted in two completely different styles. Sirens were portrayed as amphibious monsters, every nonhuman aspect of their form exaggerated. Mermaids, however, were always modified in the reverse; they were fair maidens with nothing inhuman save for their smooth tails. The reality, as usual, lay somewhere in between. The Mer were equipped with both gills and lungs. They had eyes, hair, and teeth, but theirs often varied from those of a human. They could hear and speak above the water, but usually didn’t. Their skin was soft, but the scales that trailed throughout were not. Their tails were often adorned with spines that were almost as sharp as their claws. Marinette had once laughed at the humans’ foolish designations, which showed a single specific Mer as two different creatures on more than one occasion. It was cute, their naïveté. Their feeble attempt at separating the good from the bad through silly narratives. She’d pitied them, really. The stories they told, the pictures they painted… it would all make them forget. And once they forgot, they would be vulnerable. Easy prey for her sisters, related to her not by blood but by nature. Ethereal Mer that would not hesitate to kill. Even with all their stories of good and bad coexisting in a single space, of maidens and snakes cooperating to bring both freedom and consequence, of pure souls hiding within ugly exteriors, the humans had still forgotten the duality inherent in all creatures. They’d forgotten to be afraid of the Mer, a pretty face being all it took to render a crew of sailors inept. Back then, she’d almost felt bad for those who fell victim to ravenous sirens. Almost. But not quite. It was their own fault, after all, for forgetting that the deadliest, most venomous serpents were also the prettiest, most captivating ones. All her life she’d counted herself amongst such creatures.

At least, all her life up until then. When the Ocean had been forcibly taken from her, leaving her soft and weak. Human.

–

Felix didn’t know what to expect when he left the castle, but he was determined to find his little brother. Still ambivalent about the fact he’d left in the first place, Felix was unsure how he would react when he found Adrien – yell at him for leaving after almost dying or hug him because their mom just did die. Felix was trying to keep his prior resolve not to yell at his baby brother… even though he really wanted to. He knew that Adrien hadn’t left with ill-intent and that if he’d known what was to happen, he never would have snuck out. Adrien was the golden child and he loved their mother dearly. Although he hated being cooped up and escaped the confines of the castle multiple times per week, Adrien never ran off so early in the mornings. Not until he’d seen and greeted the Queen. This discrepancy in Adrien’s usual behavior, combined with the previous day’s oddities, fueled Felix’s growing sense of unease. Whatever the medics may say, his mother’s death had not occurred without cause. No, something something weird was going on. Felix was certain, and he had a gut feeling that his little brother was stuck in the middle of it all.

Felix went down to the town square where Adrien would normally dawdle when he left the castle. The younger boy loved to mingle with the locals and was often found prowling the square in hopes of meeting new people he could befriend. But he wasn’t there. Felix tried to ask some of the town folks but it was easier said than done. Most commoners avoided Felix, warded off by the prince’s regal demeanor and serious composure. It was clear to all that he wasn’t the fun-loving Adrien who would all too readily empty his purse just to buy himself a few smiles. The nagging voice inside his head grew louder with each minute Adrien continued to evade him. But the nagging began to oscillate between blame and worry. It was no longer a purely unfounded sense that Adrien was responsible for the misfortune that had befallen them, but rather a growing fear that more misfortune was to come. Felix was relieved when he finally tracked down one of the shop owners who was willing to speak with the eldest prince. The owlish man, a book curator who loved to preach about educating the youth and spy on the daily affairs of others under the pretense of maintaining order in the area, was one of the few people who actually preferred Felix to Adrien. Possibly because, unlike his little brother, Felix would actually enjoy learning from the books Damocles delivered to the castle. That and Felix’s willingness to step up and administer punishments to unruly kids that broke the atheneum’s rules, which Damocles was too cowardly to enforce. Unfortunately for Felix, the man’s account filled him with dread. Damocles told of Adrien running by to buy a large blanket before heading down to the beach. At that word, Felix’s heart dropped. Consumed by dread, the blue-eyed boy began to sprint towards the beach.

Felix swore that there had to have been some sort of unnatural intervention that saved his brothers life the night of the storm. No other soul had made it to shore, yet Adrien was found perfectly unharmed. But were the fates calling him back to the ocean now? Was whatever had taken hold of Adrien’s life seeking to steal it away? He’d just lost his mother, he couldn’t lose his baby brother as well. Felix ran faster towards the beach, the thought of the sea claiming Adrien for its depths spurred him on. He swallowed back whatever fear he had about approaching the salt-filled waters, focusing only on the question of Adrien’s safety. His relationship with the ocean was… complicated. He remembered liking it when he was little and his mother’s favoritism wasn’t so obvious. He remembered sitting at the edge of the ships’ decks or gazing out from the castle’s balconies just to watch the waves, feeling the cool breeze pass over him. Tasting the salty air when he opened his mouth in awe when the sea displayed one of its more captivating feats. He’d loved every second of it. Felix would find any excuse to go down to the docks or beach, running off more than even Adrien did now. Once near the water, he would spend hours down there. He used to love the ocean, its mysterious waters and all they held, so much. But that had changed.

Felix remembered the exact day his feelings towards the ocean went from fascination to fear. It had been his thirteenth birthday and his parents had forgotten about it… again. The monarchs had been too busy with Adrien’s first sword fighting competition that upcoming weekend. Though Adrien had wished him a happy birthday as soon as he’d seen him, Felix had been ignored his little brother and done his best to avoid him that day. The blue-eyed prince felt guilty for the bitter resentment he had towards Adrien when it wasn’t the latter’s fault. He wanted to forget about it all and push down those selfish feelings. Being the naïve child he was, he rowed a small boat away from the shore that night, hoping a view of the star-filled sky from just beyond the cove would help chase away his jealousy. However, the green-eyed monster is not so easily outrun. As soon as he’d paddled out of the bay, something in the water changed. He drifted peacefully at first, but the waves were quick to change their pace. The sea went from calm and gentle to violent and temperamental. The young boy was tossed over the side as the sea threw its tantrum. Struggling to fight the waves and currents that were pulling him down, Felix fought against the darkening water’s grip; peeking through blurred vision, he saw only the deepest of blacks in all directions. As if he’d been swallowed by a salty void. When he was finally about to break through the surface, a pair of toxic green eyes flashed from the depths. Felix freed himself from the ocean’s clutches and swam to the rocky spires that jutted out of the water as fast as he could. He made his was from one rock to the next, racing those emerald eyes each time he got off the stone. When he finally reached the jagged shore, Felix felt something try to pull him back under, but Felix was determined to get away. With bloody hands and knees, he scaled the sharp, rocky wall and crawled to the sandy side of the barrier. The shore. It took him the rest of the night to make his way around the coast to the base of the castle’s hill on foot. Though he’d made it back alive, dreams of vicious green and black tendrils dragging him below the surface haunted him for many nights.

He never told anyone about the encounter or whatever that thing was. Fear prevented him from recounting his experience with the black water and green eyes. After that night, Felix became truly terrified of that thing and whatever else the ocean hid. It seems the green orbs would follow him for the rest of his life, he’d mused bitterly. As soon as they’d stopped finding him in his sleep, that blasted cat appeared with eyes of the same shade. Felix swore that tea shop owner just wanted to rub salt in a wound, though he didn’t know how the old Turtle could possibly have found out. The demon-cat hated him but refused to leave his side, plaguing the prince’s life with sharp hisses and sharper claws. Plagg loved the docks and in his early days would cry for Felix down by the water, attempting to coax him into the sea. Felix always ignored it, mentally deciding that, just like the teashop owner, the cat was working with the devil. Or perhaps that he was the devil. No matter how hard Plagg had tried, Felix wouldn’t go near that damned water. When Plagg accepted this, the scratching began. But the ocean turned into a source of dread for Felix, like a dark cloud over his head. No amount of hissing from his forced feline companion could change that. The saltwater air didn’t bring a sense of comfort anymore - only suffocating dread, like someone had rubbed sandpaper down his throat. His dreams weren’t of a beautiful underwater paradise anymore; they were now nightmares of a deep dark ocean stealing away his breath and burning through his lungs. The crashing waves were like breaking limbs, a threat of the powerful currents that would push him down in an instant. He found no more comfort in the bay. Instead, he feared it. It was why Felix hadn’t been on the ship with his brother. Why he’d avoided the wrath of the storm that had taken so many lives. It was, perhaps, the only good that had come from the experience.

Yet here he was now. Running along the ocean shore, water touching his feet as he ran. Fear, worry, and anger were all fighting for control as he searched for his brother. Thankfully, whatever gods were looking down from the skies decided to have mercy on him. He saw another blond in the distance. Adrien? Felix picked up speed and ran faster towards the figure. He ran and ran until he got a clear view of his brother. Perfectly unharmed, carrying a large, lumpy blanket in his arms. Beside being dripping wet he was perfectly fine. In fact, he was better than fine. Adrien was delighted, soft pink tinting his cheeks and a dopey grin plastered on his face. Felix felt something snap in him. He’d thought his brother was dead, the devilish sea trying to claim his soul. But here he was. Perfectly content, uninjured, touring the beach with some blankets. As the two made eye contact, all the emotions Felix had been holding back since he was informed of his mother’s passing came flooding out and manifested as an irrepressible rage.

–

“Hey Felix,” Adrien greeted with a wide smile. He’d hoped to wait a bit before introducing his Lady to his family but he supposed now was as good a time as ever.

“Where were you?” Felix growled out, causing confusion to spread over Adrien’s features. The latter been in such a good mood he hadn’t noticed his older brother’s growing anger as he’d approached.

“I was down by the beach…” Adrien replied, dumbfounded.

“I know you were down by the beach!! Did you forget that you nearly drowned the other day?! I thought that you died!! We all did! Do you even realized that no one else in the crew survived?!” Felix’s voice got louder with each word, causing Adrien to take a step back. “Adrien, you barely made it out by a hair and yet here you are running back down to the beach! I don’t get it, are you trying to get yourself killed? Did you want to drown?! Is this some kind of fucked up survivor’s guilt bullshit??” All Adrien could do was shake his head ‘no’ at the questions. “Then what?! Why would you come back here?” The younger prince tried to explain, but Felix wouldn’t let him get a word in. “How could you be so selfish?!” Felix’s eyes were getting red, the tears held back through sheer willpower. “Do you no care about us?? About your family?! Gods, you ran off back to the ocean the morning after almost drowning and you couldn’t ev-” The shouting came to an abrupt stop as Felix finally noticed the movement coming from the blankets in Adrien’s arms. Adrien had felt his lady begin to stir when the yelling first started but Felix had been so focused on chewing Adrien out he hadn’t noticed the more subtle fidgeting in the beginning. Adrien could tell the exact moment Felix figured out the bundle held against his chest was a person rather than a pile of rags. He’d been excited to have his family meet the girl who’d rescued him and whom he’d rescued right back. But after Felix’s rebukes, which were far too harsh in Adrien’s opinion, he wanted nothing more than to hide his Lady.

Though she was wrapped up in the blanket, it was clear she’d been completely drenched. She still looked like she had just been dragged through the sea by a violent undercurrent, which wasn’t too far from the truth. Her blue eyes seemed to hold the ocean within them and her skin was as pale as moonlight. She could immediately be recognized as foreign; most locals had at least some semblance of a tan after constantly being exposed to the sun. But Adrien knew it was his lady’s hair that would stand out most to Felix. Or to anyone, really. Despite the transformation, the girl’s hair had retained its unnaturally blue color. Her locks mirrored the hue of her eyes, with an intensity that would be impossible to achieve through even the most potent dyes.

Felix stared and Adrien reflexively pulled the girl closer against his chest. His brother blinked. The two princes stood there in silence while the ex-Mer peeked out from the blankets. Another blink, but this time followed by a deep breath. Adrien gulped and prepared for whatever shouting was about to ensue. Felix had opened his mouth as if to speak but closed it again soon after. Blink, blink, blink. Adrien could see the gears turning in his brother’s head. It took a lot for Felix to yell, but once he started it was hard to get him to stop. Adrien was unsure of how to proceed. So he continued to watch Felix. And Felix continued to watch the girl, his anger slowly dissolving into pure confusion.

“Adrien,” the eldest stated at last. The soft, steady tone was disconcerting after all the shouts.

“Uh… Yes?”

“Adrien, why do you have a naked girl in your arms?” Felix asked after a few more moments of silence. The eerie calm might have been worse for Adrien’s nerves than the previous yelling. “Adrien..?” he heard again, which snapped Adrien back to reality.

“Oh…ummm… this is Ladybug.” He stated with a sheepish smile. Felix did not smile back. “Uh… she’s the one who saved me from the storm?” Adrien added, though the statement came out sounding more like a question. Adrien’s tone held a mixture of happiness and caution. He did not want to set Felix off; Adrien wasn’t too fond of conflict and hoped to avoid further yelling. He adjusted his grip on the girl as his brother processed the information. More blinks.

“I see. Sooo… she saved you, then?” Felix glared at the girl who glared right back. Adrien didn’t understand why Felix would glare at his rescuer and didn’t much appreciate it, but he was a tiny bit relieved that Fe’s wrath was no longer directed at him.

“Yup!” Adrien grinned. He hoped the tensions would finally ease up. Felix just narrowed his eyes in suspicion.

“So. She, what, went into the water and just … plucked you from the storm?”

“Uh, yea…” Adrien’s grin faltered for a moment. Technically she’d already been in the water. But Adrien wasn’t sure he wanted to tell his brother about all that just yet. Not when he was being so moody. And especially not when he was giving him that icy stare.

“Mm. Then why isn’t she walking?” The question was innocent on the surface, but it held an accusation. Adrien began to fidget a bit under Fe’s scrutiny.

“Ohh… she hurt her leg and can’t walk. So, I’m helping!” Adrien hoped the bullshit wasn’t as evident as he feared. (It was). Since it wasn’t really a lie he was telling Felix, it was okay, he thought to himself. (It wasn’t)

“So. You went out for a nice morning stroll and just happened to find your savior. Who pulled you out of the ocean during that hellstorm that drowned every other person onboard. And said savior is a frail girl that was just lying injured and naked in the water… Does that..? Did I get that right?” He looked to Adrien, who nodded eagerly in response. Adrien was glad his older brother was following along. “And now you’re helping her out?” Felix continued, deadpan and monotone.

“Yep!” Adrien was too happy to realize just how crazy he sounded. “She rescued me and I rescued her,” he said with a blush. He was happy he didn’t have to lie - err, adjust the truth with that bit. He was fully planning on telling Felix everything. Just… not right now.

The two princes stood in silence for a while longer. Adrien began to get lost in thoughts of him and his lady, until he heard a resigned sigh from Felix. He looked up the see his big brother rubbing his temples. Felix looked tired. His energy seemed to have drained right out of him; his shoulders slumped as he looked up to meet Adrien’s gaze. Taking one deep, steady breath, Felix locked eyes with him and uttered five words that destroyed Adrien’s whole world.

“Mom passed away this morning.”

“…What?” Adrien’s blood ran cold, his heart freezing over as he tried to process the statement. He had to have heard wrong. But Felix just repeated himself calmly. Adrien stared in horror as his grip on the girl loosened. She jolted at that, but Adrien could barely register the sensation. He was waiting, hoping, Felix would laugh or say it was all a joke. He’d been angry before, so maybe this was all some twisted trick to teach him not to run off so much. But Felix didn’t laugh. He didn’t say it was a joke. Felix just stared at him with the same sad, somber expression. Adrien couldn’t understand. Passed away? She’d looked so healthy yesterday. Adrien shook his head, either in denial or confusion. He wasn’t sure which. Maybe a mix of the two. It couldn’t be. She wouldn’t just ‘pass away’ like that. No, there had to be another explanation. He looked up at Felix, praying that his brother would deny it all. It just didn’t make sense. All food was tested for poisons prior to being served. There were no plagues in the city. The guards ensured no unauthorized person got past the gates. There was nothing that could have… Well, nothing unless…

“Oh… Oh no…” Adrien’s eyes widened as realization dawned. “Ohh God. I - I need to get home… I have to… ” His eyes darted back and forth from the palace looming above them to the girl in his arms. She seemed nervous, clinging to him a little more tightly. He was torn. Desperate. It was obvious he wouldn’t make it home any time soon with the extra weight, slight as the girl may be. But he couldn’t just leave her there. Adrien looked to Felix once more, a silent plea in his eyes. After a moment, Felix sighed.

“Go,” he nodded towards the palace. “It’s okay, Adrien. I’ll take her.” Adrien immediately breathed out in relief, shoving his bundled prize at his brother’s chest and racing off without bothering to check on Ladybug or explain the situation to her. 

–

Felix had agreed to take the girl for Adrien’s sake. He knew Adrien’s relationship with their mother had been a lot stronger than the one he’d had and that whatever pain he was feeling from her passing was incomparable to the anguish Adrien must be under. Felix’s goal had been to reassure Adrien, acting a stable perch for him in all this mess. He’d said he would take the girl, but he hadn’t specified where to. For the purpose of pure reassurance, Felix had refrained from telling his brother that he would likely take this inebriated gold-digger to some street corner… or back to whatever brothel she’d likely crawled out of before going up to the palace alone. Though after the girl’s repeated hisses and snarls, Felix did consider dumping her at the office of a nearby doctor instead. His brother needed to grieve, not be manipulated by another social seeking whore (*cough* Chloe and Lila *cough*). Or be infected by whatever this chick had.

The older prince just shook his head, too tired to deal with all this bullshit. He’d realized Adrien was full of it from the start but had been curious to hear what kind of delusions his little brother was under. The more he heard of Adrien’s story, the more convinced he was that either he was lying or Adrien truly was an idiot. For his brother’s sake, Felix hoped it was the former. When he broke the news to Adrien, Felix had only seconds to grab onto the bundle, barely managing to get a good grip on the blanketed girl before Adrien sprinted away. When he looked down he saw she was still glaring up at him. Unlike with Adrien, she wasn’t leaning into him; instead, she arched herself back from him like he was her enemy. Whether that was the case, Felix had not yet decided. While his initial reaction to seeing the girl had been a mental what the fuck, his confusion had quickly turned to suspicion. There was little doubt this strange girl was just another gold-digger trying to take advantage of Adrien’s innocence. She’d probably lied to his little brother to get him on her side, he thought with a scoff. Just another beggar whore.

In response to Felix’s judging stare, the blue-haired stranger let out another hiss. Through her snarl he could see her perfectly aligned, smooth teeth – with the exception of sharpened upper and lower canines. Felix had already accepted he may need to call a doctor to check on his brother’s psychological condition after hearing the insane logic he was working under. Now he wondered if he may need a different kind of specialist to deal with the feral nudist in his arms. She had to have either drugs or rabies, Felix mused to himself as he tried to figure out what the girl’s deal was. Aggravated by his continued scrutiny, she hissed again. Yea, probably rabies, he concluded as he dumped her haphazardly on the sand, unwilling to keep the stranger so close to himself. Felix began to pace and ponder what he would do with the uncivilized opportunist that was currently scuttling back on the floor with a growl and a glare. 

For the sake of the kingdom, he decided, getting the girl under some kind of quarantine would be best. Ugh. He looked down at her again but the girl in question was no longer glaring. Instead she held a calculating squint, as if it were Felix that was acting like a complete psycho and not her. This was far too much of a shitstorm raining down on him all at once. Felix did not appreciate being gawked at like some puzzle that needed to be solved. Fuck it. Doctor, asylum for the insane, it’s all the same shit, he decided. He’d just drop her off at the first one he encountered.

“Alright miss,” he began after clearing his throat, “let’s get you to a - doctor.” He’d hesitated on the last word but only slightly. Felix was trying to be at least somewhat polite to the girl by not calling her a drunk (or rabid harlot) outright, but his voice showed his clear disdain for her. He noticed it in his tone but decided he didn’t have enough fucks left to try to correct it. Felix assumed she’d glare or hiss again. Maybe get insulted if she was lucid enough to get the implication. However, the blue-haired beauty reacted in a way Felix had never expected. Or even considered.

She whimpered.

She whimpered and pressed herself closer to the rocks, as if seeking sanctuary from them. She shrunk away from him, clutching the blanket to herself with one arm and using the other to shield her face. The wide eyes peeking out were no longer the torrential blue of an ocean tempest seeking to wreak havoc on all who dared approach; they were now a sad, quiet sea whose despair grew in the interminable still of the doldrums. This wasn’t normal. Any gold-digger or drunken whore would have jumped at the chance to flirt with Felix just like they had with Adrien, willing to try anything to get a token or two from his purse. Especially if they were so new to the area and hadn’t realized Felix was not so easily manipulated. But the blanket-wrapped fiend seemed to want to get away from the prince, not closer to him. Still, Felix was not one to trust easily. He suspected a ruse of some sort. Though this play was unfamiliar to him, he was convinced it was a play nonetheless. He locked eyes with this “Ladybug” girl, as his brother had called her. This girl, a savage only moments before, now acting like a damsel in distress? Psh, almost certainly a trick. However, just as easily as Felix could see through such charades, he could recognize the very real terror and pain she was trying to hide. An agony so intense the only disguise that could be at least somewhat believable was a pretense of a different type of distress. He bit his lip, displeased with the rising empathy he felt towards the girl. She could just be a really, really good actress. But Felix recognized that guarded look. He know what it was like to try to hide those emotions because he’d done the same.

He broke eye contact with a sigh, looking away to the ground beside her. There was blood. It was faint, obscured by the sand. The first streak began close to where he’d let the girl fall after she’d hissed at him again; his gaze followed the dried red smudges along their trail back to this so-called Ladybug. Felix noticed her feet and knees poking out of the bottom of the blanket, which had bunched up during her scuttling. They were bloody, as if she’d dragged herself across sharpened glass shards rather than the soft sand they were on. There were newly formed scabs on the soles of her feet like she’d either cut herself on a jagged rocks or walked for days without rest. As far as he knew, neither of those had been the case. Felix began to take interest. He looked her over more closely and, upon closer inspection, found trailing scars that were so faint they could only be noticed if someone really looked. Her pale skin helped mask the white marks, which were only visible now that she had crawled out of the sun’s blinding rays. On the sides of her calves there were faint circles that traveled up her legs. They reminded Felix of cigarette burns. Thin white lines followed the contours between her fingers. What had originally looked like a rosy blush from her cheeks to her ears seemed more like the raw reddening of wounded skin. Felix felt his stomach drop. She was a bit weird and he still didn’t trust her. But it was clear she’d been through quite a bit of suffering.

Just what type of hell had this girl been put through? 

–

Marinette could tell the new blond didn’t like her from the moment their eyes had met. She’d tried to stay hidden and listen to get a better sense of the situation but she lacked the context to understand all the accusations the new one was yelling at her escort. Unlike golden-haired predator she’d rescued, this one’s hair was lighter, more luminous. He had light blue eyes instead of the other’s green. Underwater he would have been more… reflective. He was probably the greater threat, she’d concluded. It wasn’t that his blond hair was a paler shade, it was just something about him. Around him. It demanded respect and beckoned apprehension. Like she should be thankful to even be alive in his presence, see it as a mercy that he allowed as much. Other Mer had described her parents in such a fashion. They’d described her like that too. But that was before she’d been reduced to this feeble body.

It had made her skittish to have his piercing blue eyes bearing into her and not into the boy from his clan (the boy who had once again brought up ladybugs..?). These humans were making her head hurt with their incoherent babbling. From what she could make out, the two were related in some way. She’d heard the first boy correctly identify her as his previous rescuer, an honorable thing to admit as it implied he’d been weakened to the point of needing rescue. Though he did seem a little too eager to claim his own title given that he called himself her rescuer as well… despite not yet getting her back into the ocean. She ignored that mental appraisal; she didn’t mind if he tried to save face amongst his clan by pretending his debt had already been repaid. As long as it kept the other humans pacified and they helped her go home, the golden-haired predator could claim whatever he wanted.

But the new boy did not appear pacified. In fact, he seemed even more aggravated.

She was determined not to be cowed by the harsh one, even after the golden-haired boy –– errr, the Adrien, she amended after recalling what the second boy had called the first –– had shoved her into the clutches of the more dangerous predator. She was not one to be so easily intimidated. When he glared, she glared back. She snarled and bore her teeth, which had been mostly dulled after the transformation. But when she’d aggravated the Not-Adrien boy too much, he dropped her.

He let her fall onto the hard ground with a look of utter apathy. From there, sprawled painfully on the coarse sand that bit through her cursed flesh, she finally felt weak. Just like the other Mer did when they saw her family, or some other cluster of nobles, swim by. She was small and defenseless after what that wretched spell had done to her. She felt vulnerable. And she knew deep within that if this boy decided to end her life, she would stand no chance in this form. So instead Marinette did something she never dreamed she would do in the presence of another.

She whimpered.

She whimpered from pain and from fear. And she dragged herself across the gritty floor to hide by a cluster of stones. She clutched the now-tattered cloth to herself as if it were a shield and held her other arm out to either strike or deflect. Though in her state it only served to help her hide. Maybe this display of weakness would convince him to spare her, she tried to rationalize. Just like how the other Mer would beg her parents for mercy – and, on occasion, would receive it. Deep down she knew she had no need to ‘feign’ weakness, as the transformation had left her fragile and inept. But it was comforting to pretend it was all just an act. A strategy to trick the land predators into doing her bidding. If she accepted the truth of her situation, all the previous hopelessness would come flooding back and she wasn’t sure she had the strength to break through such despair again. So she did her best not to dwell on that little fact.

The Not-Adrien came closer and looked her over, his eyes hovering over the dried blood that had poured out when her delicate new skin had been cut open. He squinted, looking up the side of her exposed… legs, she shuddered at the word. His eyes followed the path her beautiful venom spines had taken down her tail before she was transformed. He stared at her outstretched arm and the wedges between her curled digits in particular. His gaze went up to her face, appraising the sore skin from the round of her cheeks to the tip of her ears. His features were still hostile, but something had changed. It was as if the hostility was no longer directed at her. Or at least not only at her. When their eyes met again, there was a mix of different feelings between them. Mistrust, respect, fear, anger, admiration, pity, pride, judgment, empathy. Curiosity. It was all very confusing. He then reached out and gently brushed the pads at the bottom her legs, ugh, with the back of his hand. The cuts from her previous attempts at walking had closed but even that slight pressure still caused her to hiss out in pain and curl into herself even more. It reminded her of the time she’d been rammed into sharp coral as a small child.

The man sighed in resignation and proceeded to wrap his arms around her like the previous blond, the Adrien, had done. The jostling hurt her tender skin and a few more whimpers escaped her. Desperately, she hissed out in warning once again, not wanting to be anywhere near this human; however, her implied threats did nothing to deter him and the two were soon moving towards the ivory castle. As they got farther from the shore, Marinette tried to focus on the warm aura of her familiar instead of this cold, hostile one. She had low expectations of success, knowing her magic had been numbed. Still, she hoped the task would keep her sane until she could figure out how to get away from the Not-Adrien. However, as she spent longer in his care, she found herself growing accustomed to his presence. She began to see him as less of an immediate threat, though she still wouldn’t count him as an ally.

Finally, after a trek that seemed to take centuries, they arrived at the top of the hill. Her new attendant walked through a gold-rimmed gate as the guards on duty immediately saluted him. The Not-Adrien must have had a high position in his clan judging by the other humans’ mannerisms. Even those who looked larger and stronger than him still vowed in reverence. The castle on the hill was as large as the one the Mer had in the underwater trenches, but much brighter. As he carried her through the halls, she noticed some more humans. There were other with hair of white and gold, but none of them seemed to have the same threatening air the blue-eyed boy did. They were all so different from her. Even if she now looked like them (mostly), she could never be one of them. She was alone and in that moment she wished more than anything to find someone she’d recognize. However, as the Not-Adrien walked into a beautiful room and set her down on a silk-lined rectangle, Marinette realized she should be more careful with what she wished for. She had indeed found someone she recognized. Someone any sentient creature in the ocean would have recognized. And his toxic green eyes pierced into her.

“Daemon!” she choked out in a raspy scream. She reached for the blue-eyed boy as he was about leave her with the creature and tightened her grip, attempting to get herself back into the safety of the man’s arms. She pushed herself back despite the pain, kicking away the soft silks and ripped wool in an attempt to shuffle closer to him.

“Uh, yeah…” the blond said with a hint of pink in his cheeks as he pulled the wool back over her, “he’s a demon alright.” Marinette wasn’t sure what the deal was with that oversized rag and why the humans kept trying to tangle her in it but she didn’t bother fighting it. She just stared into the monster’s green eyes. The blond grumbled something about a plague, which wasn’t too odd as she was certain that demon could very easily bring about a dozen plagues with little to no effort. Her make-do guardian freed his arm from her grip and not-so-gently shoved her back to the center of the rectangle. Before she could freak out about the beast and pull herself against him again, he grabbed him by the scruff of his neck and tried to pull him off the wooden dresser he was peering down at her from. The beast swiped at the Not-Adrien in defiance and dug his claws deep into the wood. The man groaned before using both arms to yank the creature away, leaving prominent scratches on the furniture. “Damnit, Plagg!” he muttered before tossing the creature out carelessly and locking it on the other side of the glass door. She immediately sighed in relief. It prowled the balcony, watching Marinette with a devilish look, but she didn’t care as long as the barrier remained between them. The little black demon pushed against the glass and then let out a hateful hiss when he saw her smirking. She hissed right back. She heard some shuffling and voices as the blue-eyed man welcomed two more humans into the room. Marinette was too busy gloating over the exiled monstrosity and meeting each of his growled insults with her own to listen in on whatever the humans were babbling about.

When the man approached her again she held him in new esteem. His icy eyes flashed between her and the demon in confusion, but after a moment he just shrugged. “They’ll take care of you. Rose will help you get dressed; Mylene’s a healer.” The two she presumed were the flower and the Mylene smiled at her. Healing she understood, but the purpose of the one who was referred to as foliage she could not make out. Dresses? She was sure she’d heard the term before but the concept was foreign. She hissed at them. When she looked over to the Not-Adrien she saw he was already walking towards the door. As if sensing her distress, he turned to her and glanced at the fiend that was yowling from the other side of the glass. “You’ll be fine,” he said. “Plagg’s locked out. The demon won’t get you.” He turned back but paused as he was walking out the door.

“I’m Felix. If you need anything, have one of the servants find me.” He gave her a curt nod before disappearing.

Ah, so the two blond predators were the Adrien and the Felix. Good to know.

–

By the time Adrien had arrived at his mother’s bedchambers, his father had left to grieve alone in the throne room. All meetings and petitions for the throne had been cancelled indefinitely and the mourning bells rung promptly on the hour. The solemn chimes that played The Queen’s Death had confirmed the news of his mother’s passing, so he didn’t bother trying to deny that. Instead he spent his trek praying that the death would be from something obvious. Something gruesome and mundane and blatantly unrelated to his deal with the Master. But, just as Felix had told him, she’d simply passed away. A gentle passing, it seemed. It was as if her life had just slipped away. Adrien grimaced. They were trying to reassure him but every word deepened his fears. Seeing his concern, the doctors quickly reassured him that she’d almost certainly suffered no pain – there was no physical evidence pointing to the contrary. What he would have given to see she’d been struck by an arrow to the heart. She still hand a faint smile on her face; it would have been easy to pretend she was just sleeping. A white dress covered her chest, hiding the cuts from the autopsy. He almost asked them to keep the results away. If he didn’t know, he could convince himself there’d been some other cause. The doctors spared no details as they informed Adrien of their thorough checks. No traces of poison, no internal organ scarring, no abnormalities of the heart.

“Leave…” he whispered, eyes shut tightly to hold back the tears.

“What was that, Your Highness? I couldn’t quite hea-”

“Leave!” 

The team of medics dispersed from the room in an instant. They’d never heard Adrien lash out like that - no one had ever heard Adrien lash out like that. The boy in question collapsed to his knees with a trembling sob. He clutched the sheets of the bed, too ashamed to reach for his mother’s hand.

“I’m so, so sorry, mom,” the prince cried out through broken breaths. “This, I mean – It wasn’t supposed to – He lied to me, mom!” He clung to the bed like a lifeline, his face pressed against the padding. “You weren’t supposed to get hurt,” he told her, though the mattress muted most of his word. Adrien’s mind raced back to the previous evening with that despicable old man. “That, that shop owner,” he mumbled in defense, “he tricked me.” It was hard to remember exactly what the man had said, Adrien had been too focused on saving Ladybug. But he knew that the wicked Turtle hadn’t warned him of his mother’s death. Had that been the case, Adrien wouldn’t have gone through with the spell. No, he simply would have found some other way of rescuing his Lady - even if it meant he’d have to leave her stuck in the sea longer. Adrien continued to sniffle out his explanation to the body that had once held such love for him. “You, you weren’t even,” his throat closed up from the tears. “Y’wernt ven s’posed t’be invulv’d,” the words muffled by both the mattress and his choking sobs. Adrien couldn’t remember it all but he did remember a few key details. The Turtle, he’d said the potion would use Ladybug’s love! Adrien’s tears ran freely, fueled by both sadness and anger. “He, he said – nothing bad would happen! – not to you.” The lying monster had assured him that nothing would happen except for Ladybug getting a bit tired. Adrien’s fury rose. While the doctors may not know what had caused his mother’s death, he did. Yes, his mother’s death was almost definitely a side-effect of that “miraculous spell” given to him by the malicious charlatan. And he would make sure that vile fiend was dealt with. How dare the man lie to him. He was the prince. And how dare the man use him to harm his mother, the queen whom was so loved by so many. Resolute, he managed to stand for a moment so he could reach out and take his mother’s frigid hand.

“I’ll find a way to fix it mom,” Adrien stated, his words sounding clear for the first time since he’d gotten rid of the medics. “I promise.” He squeezed her hand gently and then lowered himself back onto the floor, leaning against the bed with his head resting on his knees. His body trembled as more and more tears spilled down his cheeks.

-

Unbeknownst to him, Felix had come by to check in on him.

As Adrien wept by his mother’s bed, his older brother stood frozen at the door, processing the fragmented information he’d collected from Adrien’s raspy sobs. Though Felix lacked the full context, the bits he’d caught were enough to confirm his prior suspicions about Adrien’s involvement. His imagination was quick to fill in the gaps, offering a thousand different scenarios in which Adrien’s role flipped from victim to villain and back. Each was less likely than the one before and Felix knew all his speculation was wasted energy until he’d spoken to Adrien; unfortunately, he had a feeling his little brother wouldn’t be very forthcoming about whatever mess he’d gotten himself into.


End file.
